DANCE! DANCE! DANCE! THE WORLD OF BUSBY BERKELEY

Born to an actress mother and a father who ran a famous LA dance studio, young Berkeley William Enos, soon to be nicknamed "Busby", had entertaining in his blood, taking the stage for the first time when he was merely five years old. More intrigued by choreography, and inspired by soldiers' drills during World War I, Berkeley found a perfect match for his talents in the new medium of motion pictures, where creative crane and tracking shots could heighten his complex geometric dances that relied less on individual skill and more on vast swaths of beautiful men and women (mostly women) hoofing it in perfect synch to kaleidoscopic numbers that influenced movies forever. The Heights Theater is proud to present five of Berkeley's best films, rare gems whose majesty can only be appreciated on the silver screen.

"FOOTLIGHT PARADE"

Aug. 9, 2018, 7:30 p.m.

35MM PRESENTATION

James Cagney is a Broadway producer who's seen better days, when a new job falls in his lap: making "prologues", complex live dance numbers to appear before movies. When he discovers that a rival is stealing his ideas, and that a Broadway producer wants him for a new show, Cagney locks his performers in a room in order to have his needed secrecy. Cagney campaigned to win the lead, eager to work with Berkeley (and break from his gangster persona). Dick Powell, Joan Blondell, and Ruby Keeler provide the rapid-fire laughs and the songs, but the star is Berkeley's insane choreography, including the famous "By a Waterfall" featuring over 100 dancers cavorting nearly naked in a vast swimming pool.

35mm print courtesy The Library of Congress


None

Aug. 30, 2018, 7:30 p.m.

"THE GANG'S ALL HERE"

Aug. 30, 2018, 7:30 p.m.

35MM PRESENTATION

Join us for a night of Busby Berkeley, two films for the price of one! At the time the most expensive film from 20th Century Fox, The Gang's All Here was an enormous hit, that has since gone on to become a camp classic! Colors explode off the screen, especially from the headdress of Carmen Miranda, who sings and dances with giant bananas (in a scene whose innuendo caused the film to be banned in Brazil). This was Berkeley's first color film, and a welcome return to the controlled insanity that made him famous.

The Gang's All Here 35mm Presentation Courtesy of Fox and a private collector (note: this screening has French subtitles)